Feed mechanism for carding-engines.



J.G.POTTER. FEED MECHANISM FOR GABDING ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1912.

1,126,858. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

M N M"- il i VEN TOR WITNE SE5 1 J. 9,/ 1 W THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, By C J. G. POTTER. FEED MECHANISM FOR OARDING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APRJQ, 1912.

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m M S THE NORRIS PETERS 50., PHOToLlTHa. WASHING rON, u. L.

JAMES CHARLES POTTER, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

FEED MECHANISM FOR CARDING-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed April 19, 1912. Serial No. 691,942.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES C. POTTER, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence, and in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Feed Mechanism for Carding-Engines, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

In feeding cotton from the roll to the licker-in of carding engines, the sheet of ccttcn passes over a feed plate and between a concave surface thereon contiguous to the licker-in and a roll of small diameter contiguous to said concave surface.

The object of my invention is to so construct said feed roll supporting and driving mechanism, that accurate but easy adjustment of the relation between the periphery of the roll and the concave surface of the feed plate may be obtained; adjustment made to suit the length of fiber of cotton being fed; and there will be no tendency, due to the action of the driving mechanism of the feed roll, to displacement of the feed roll and the subjection thereof to unequal pressure, and to this end my invention consists in the mechanism constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of enough of a carding engine to illustrate my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail view in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4c a detail view on a larger scale showing somewhat diagrammatically the adjustments of the feed roll.

In the machine shown in the drawings, 10 designates the feed plate of ordinary constructicn of a carding engine, having at its end contiguous to the licker-in roll 11 an up-turned flange having on the side opposite the licker-in roll a concave cotton guiding surface 100 between which and the periphery of a small feed roll 12, the cotton is gripped and its feeding movement by the revolution of the roll effected. The roll at each end is journaled in hearings in an arm 13 hinged upon the transverse roll driving shaft 14, upon which shaft at each end of the roll is a spur gear 15 meshing with a like gear 16 keyed to the roll, and upon the shaft 14 is fixed a bevel gear 17, which, by means of a bevel pinion 18 on the customary shaft 19 is driven, the direction of rotation of the spur gears 15 being such that the tendency of the pressure of the teeth thereof upon the spur gears 16 on the feed roll is to press the roll toward the concave feed surface on the feed plate, this arrangement being thus an important improvement over an arrangement of gearing which produces the opposite tendency upon the feed roll. Again power is applied to the feed roll at both ends, and hence, it is subjected to power uniformly applied throughout its length.

The bearing for the feed roll in each of the pivoted supporting arms 13 consists of a sleeve or bushing 20 which is loosely mounted in an opening in the arm, and upon diametrically opposite sides of the bushing there are two adjusting screws or bolts 200 engaging threaded openings in the arm by movement of which the feed roll may be moved with reference to the concavely curved cotton guiding surface of the feed plate so as to shift the point of the bite between the roll and the plate so that at one time such point will be nearer the point where the licker-in takes the cotton, in which case the feed is adapted to short fibers; while at another time the bite or the last point of contact between the periphery of the feed roll and the concave surface of the feed plate will be farther from the licker-in, in which case the feed is adapted to longer fibers. To secure the best results, the concave surface and the feed roll are curved on arcs of different radii, as shown best in Fig. 4, where A shows the bite when the position of the feed roll is adjusted to feed short fibers, and B the bite of the feed roll when adjusted to feed long fibers; and the direction of adjustment is on a line radial to the center of motion of the hinged arms. The teeth of the gears on the feed roll and the gears meshing therewith are out sufficiently deep to maintain proper mesh at the diflerent adjustments.

It will be seen that by my manner of supporting the feed roll and the provision that is made for adjusting it in its bearings, no troublesome close or accurate making and fitting of parts is required to secure proper cooperation between the feed roll and the feed plate, and adjustment to suit the length pf fiber of the cotton being fed is provided As there are no side lugs or upstanding projections on the feed plate to journal or support the feed roll, due to the fact that the roll bearings are on the hinged arms that are separate from the feed plate, the

latter can be machined straight across from side to side. It Will, therefore, be seen that in itself the hinged support for the feed roll is a very important thing. l\/Iy mode of supporting and driving the ,feed roll also lends itself to the easy and quick movement of the feed roll to and from position 'WhBIl that becomes necessary. a

/ Having thus described my invention What I claim is- 1. In a cotton feeding mechanism for carding machines, the combination of a feed plate having a concave cotton guiding surface, a feed roll to cooperate With said surface, and adjustable bearings for the feed roll so arranged, as to shift the point of bite between the roll and said concave guiding surface.

2. In a cotton feeding mechanism for carding machines, the combination of a feed plate having a concave cotton guiding surface, a feed roll to cooperate with said surface, and adjustable bearings for the feed roll to shift the point of bite between the roll and the concave guiding surface, and consisting each of a bushing, a member in which said bushing is movably mounted, and adjusting screws on the member engaging the bushing at diametrically opposite points. i I

3. In acotton feeding mechanism for carding machines, the combination of a feed plate having a concave cotton guiding surface,,ia feed roll coacting With said surface, arms at opposite ends of the feed roll journaling the same, a shaft to Which said arms are hung, a spur gear at each end of the feed roll, and a spur gear on said shaft meshing With each of said feed roll spur gears.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES CHARLES POTTER.

Witnesses:

EARLE II ROBERTS, ELVERY LINGARD.

Copies of vthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1).6. 

